There is a holiday benefit sale taking place at the Persian tribal rug gallery at 18 State Road in Vineyard Haven just a few doors up from Educomp.

The rugs are made by nomadic people living in yurts with no electricity or running water in the remote mountain regions of Persia (now Iran). The whole extended family participates in the rug-making process including herding the sheep, shearing, washing, carding, spinning the wool and collecting the roots, leaves, bark, flowers, nuts, berries and clays for dying the wool. The rugs are then woven and knotted mostly by women on simple handmade looms. With 100 or more knots per square inch the rugs are extremely durable. It takes about 1000 hours to make one 5-by-7 rug.

This holiday season proprietor Anna Edey will once again be donating 20 per cent of all rug sales to the Vineyard cause of your choice. Just mention the cause.

The gallery is open Thursdays through Saturdays from 3 to 5 p.m. It is also open by appointment.

For more details, call 508-693-3341 or 774-563-0898.